The Story of Regulus Black - Years 1-4

XLI. April Fools. Love, The Marauders

Slytherin won the match against Hufflepuff.

The entire house was absolutely ecstatic. Regulus had caught the Snitch within the first twenty minutes of the match, and Slytherin won by 180 points. The entire team was congratulating Regulus, saying how excellent he had done at catching the Snitch.

Above all, Carson Nott was absolutely swelling with pride at the prospect that, his last year at Hogwarts, they had won two of the three matches. It would've been wonderful to win all three, but considering that Regulus wasn't allowed to play for one of them, it made sense that they didn't. Carson kept calling Regulus the best Seeker that he had seen in his seven years at Hogwarts, and that statement included comparing Regulus to four others.

Other than that Quidditch match, nothing was happening around the castle. The end of term was approaching, so the fifth and seventh years were practically rupturing arteries left and right from stress. The other students were all much more lax about the exams, and were spending most of their time wandering 'round the castle.

April fools day fell on a Monday that year, and the entire castle was abuzz with activity. Peeves the Poltergeist was zipping this way and that around the school, causing messes and pulling pranks. Though, Peeves's little practical jokes were nothing compared to what the marauders had come up with.

Everyone in the castle awoke that morning, not knowing what to expect from the four third year Gryffindors. As far as they could tell, though, nothing was wrong. They walked to breakfast, the biggest disturbance being miniature pranks by other students, and Peeves's practical jokes.

Barty and Regulus had walked to the Great Hall alone that day, seeing as how neither Carson or Gillian seemed to be awake yet. The hall was buzzing with joy and laughter, all people making jokes to one another or else pulling small pranks. They sat down in their normal spot, and began to eat their breakfast as normal.

It was only when Gillian came storming into the room that Regulus had his first bit of laughter for that day. He practically spit out his drink, spluttering and coughing on the liquid that had been forced down his throat as well. Regulus and Barty burst out into laughter, and Carson joined in, walking very closely behind her.

"It's brilliant, isn't it?" Carson exclaimed, hooting with laughter as he dropped down on the bench.

"THIS IS NOT BRILLIANT!" Gillian shouted as she pointed to her hair, which had become a bright shade of blue.

"Did you do that?" Barty asked, looking to Carson, who couldn't stop laughing.

Carson nodded his head and wiped tears of mirth from his eyes.

"How?" Regulus asked.

Gillian's face was twisted in distaste, and she was glaring at Carson with unmatched intensity. "Oh, calm down, Gill!" Carson shouted, and he patted her on the back. "I just cast a little silent spell on her that she doesn't know how to reverse."

"CARSON, IF YOU DON'T REVERSE THIS SPELL, I SWEAR TO MERLIN I WILL... I'LL... Merlin, just reverse it," Gillian groaned, and she rested her forehead against the table.

"Don't like the blue?" Carson asked. He sighed, and he pulled his wand from the pocket of his robes. "Fine. Anything for you, Gill."

He pointed his wand at the back of her head, moved it in the motion for a spell, and then Gillian's hair faded away from the blue. Regulus and Barty both widened their eyes, and all three boys began choking on the laughter that they were trying to suppress. "Alright, Gill, all done," Carson said, his face turning red from the suppressed laughter.

Gillian lifted her head from the table, ran her fingers through her hair, and brought a chunk of it in front of her face. Her jaw dropped, and her face contorted with anger.